Kiln.



W, DRAYTON.

KILN.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 6, 1908.

Patented June 7, 1910.

3 SHEETS-BHEET L A@ NL@ .Nh

W/ TNESSES wmf/1% 1 TTURNE YS KILN.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 1906.

Patented lm 'fiy 19M.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

W. DRAYTON.

KILN.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.6, 1908.

Patented June 7,1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

TNESSES ``M www ATTORNEYS WXLLIAM- DRAYTON, OF IKACHELMACHER, 0510.

Specification of Letters Patent.

ratented d une 3, 1916 Application filed `August 6, 1908. Serial No. 417,241

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, 'Winnaar DnAr'roN, a

citizen of the United States, and a resident ot liachelmaclier, in the county of Hocking and rcitate ot lOhio, have invented ,a new and improved liln, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to certain improve ments in kilns adapted for burning brick or other ceramics, andfinvolves a system whereby a plurality of .separate portable kilns are arranged in series to forni a continuously moving tunnel in which the biicks are first dried, `then burned, and finally cooled. Each kiln involves a portable base or truck and a removable open-ended hood or '(fovei, and these separate kilnsor units when arranged in series may be continuously moved along a track and new kilns con-v taining green brick added to one end of the series and the kilns containing the burned and cooled brick removed from the opposite ond of the series. Each kiln carries its own furnacaahd, therefore, the iunning gear oi the kllif is unail'ected by the high temper.- atuie of the ianies and gases olf-combustion employed in burning the brick. ln addition to the kiln trucks and removable hoods, l provide a transfer 4truck which serves to supportthe hoods While the kiln trucks are being conducted Ito the storage chamber and emptied,` and which also serves to bodily transfer both the kiln trucks and their hoods 'troni the discharge end of the series back 'i to the receiving endlwhere the hoods may be supported upon the transfer truck while kiln truck is removed, re-loaded and re turned beneath its hood ready for attachment at the beginning end of the series.

Retereiice is to be had to the accompanying drawings, :forming av part of this speciication, in vwhich similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the `figures, and in Whichli1 igure 1 is a top plan view of a system constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is a side view thereof; Fig. 3

. is a horizontal longitudinal section through av plurality oit hoods or tunnel sections arranged in series; Fig. 4 is a vertical Asection taken longitudinally ot' a transfer truck and transversely of a kiln truc-k and hood, the left-hand halt of said sectionbeing taken on the line LFA( oFig. 5, and the right-hand halie oi said section being taken onthe line 4R41@ of Fig. 5; Fig. 5 is an end view of the transfer truck and parts shown in Fig. t; Fig, 6 is a horizontal section through a kiln truck, said section being taken on the line G46 of F ig. and Fig. 7 is a side elevation of a kiln truck and removable hood, portions thereof being broken away.

Each of niy improved kilns, while in use, constitutes one of a series of unit-s going to make up a continuously moving tunnehditferent steps ot the process' taking place in the different kilns as they progress along the y series. ln the specilic :torni of kiln illustrated in theA accompanying drawing, each unit includes a truck serving to support the load of brick, and including a furnace for burning the brick and detachably supported upon each truck is a removable open-ended hood or tunnel section. Each truck is pro-y vided With a brick supporting y surface formed of a vplurality of inverted channeby shaped members 10, each having a passage 11 therethrough extending longitudinally of 4the truck; Adjacent one end ot the truck, l

provide a transverse distributing chamber 12, communicating with one end of each oi' said passages 11, and at each end of the dis'- tributing chamber is disposed a suitable furnace. The two furnaces come adjacent opposite sides of the car and adyacent the orlWard end thereof, and include diagonally disposed grate bars 13 and an ash pit A therebeneath. One side of the transverse chamber or passage 12 is closed, so that the gases entering said passage must travel lengthwise of the car through the passages 11. The channel-sliapedmembers 10 and the passages 11 terminate a short distance from siek the end of the car Iopposite to the furnace, a

so as to `leave a spar/e or passage 15,4 up through which the gases may pass into contact with the brick. As there is no supporting surface over the passage or spacej 15 to support brick,

these air passages 19 is provided with van opening '20 leading to the atmosphere beneath the car at one end of said passage, and

at the opposite `end of each passage' is an it is evident that a vertical ,passage 17 Will be formed extending the en opening 2, whereby fresh air may' enter the gas passage l1 adjacent the end of the latter and adjacent the open space 15. The 1nverted channel members forming the .passages may be of any suitable material desired and may be supported in any suitable manner. As shown, l provide a 'plurality of transverse lt-be :ns 22, extending beneath the channel members and themselves supported upon a plurality of longitudinallydisposed pairs of l-beams 23. Between the members of each pair of 'll-'beams 23, are mounted suitable truck Wheels 24, by means of which the entire truckmay be trans ported. Adjacent the ends of the trucks may be mounted any suitable form of car coupler E25, whereby adjacent trucks may be secured together. To prevent; the wheels and supporting framework of -beams from being affected by the heat of the furnace, l preferably provide a layer 25 of mineral wool, asbestos, or the like, beneath each furnace, as indicated in Fig. '7, and may, if desired, provide a second layer 27 between the -beams Q2 and the hollow members supported thereon. The passages through said hollow members serve, to a certain eitent, as

vinsulation. to prevent the supporting framework being unduly affected by the hot gases in the passages l1, and the flow of air through the passages 19 also aids in maintaining the framework in a cool condition.

Upon opposite sides of the hollow members l0 are solid side members 28 resting directly upon the eye beams 22, and extending across one end of the track and forming one side of thc passage ll is a solid member 29. The members 28 serve to support the hood, dome or covering, which forms one section or unit of the tunnel. lfn the specific form of dome, hood or covering shown in the accompanying drawings, yil forni substantially `vertical side alls 30, each made up of hollow tiles or bricks and resting at their lower Lends upon the side members 28 of the truck, At. the lower edge of each wall l preferably employ a longitudinally extending base member 3l, having a metal reinforcement whereby the base member may bc employed for raising the dome or hood clear of the truck. The roof or top of the dome or hood is formed of a plurality of specially con structed brick and cast iron reinforcements and 'costs directly upon the side walls,I '.lhe

end walls of the hood are entirely open.

The roof, as shown particularly in Fig. 5, is formed of a plurality of transverse oppositcly-disposcd pairs of channel irons 3Q, cach pair of which serves to su port depending bricks 33, the lower ends of which are of larger size than their intermediate portions. lhese depending bricks serve to support bridging bricks and upon the latter and beneath the channel irons are dis posed transvcrsely-extcnding hollow bricks s, ceases through the side walls into the base members 3l of the latter. As previously stated, the hood-or dome rests directly upon the side members 28 of the truck,` and the ends of the hood are entirely openfrThe ends of the side walls and also the ends of the roof may be so constructed that when two hoods are brought into engagement with each other and in alinement, a substantiallyl gastight joint will be formed. As shown par`- ticularly in Fig. 3, the ends of the side walls are provided with dove-tailed joints and reinforcing and sealing strips l `or raising any hood or dome out of engagement with its kiln truck, to permit the latter with its load of burned brick tobe moved to a storage place, and also to bodily transport the kiln truck and hood either in a loaded or unloaded condition, I provide one or more transfer trucks substantially asr shown in Figs. 4 and -5. Each of these transfer trucks is formed-of a framework including oppositcly-disposed pairs of Isbcams 3T, between which are journaled suitable truck wheels 38, and extending transversely of the I-beauis 37 are I-beams fill and tracks 40. The tracks 40 are of such gage as to receive the truck wheels 24 oithe .kiln trucks. and said tracks extend at substantially right angles to thegeneral direction of the length of the transfer trucks:- Mountcd upon the transfer I-beains 3!) arejacks 4l of any suitable character, and these jacks have their upper ends normally at such an elevation and are so disposed, that they may engage beneath mtwardly-extending lugs 42 carried by each hood and rigidly secured to the base members 31 of the latter. 'lhe tracks 4() of the transfer trucks are of a length substantially equal to the width of said transfer trucks, and serve to support the kiln truck and permit of its being bodily transferred. During the transfer, the hood il() may rest directly upon the kiln truck or may be raised'out of engagement therewith by means of the jack 41.

For supporting and transporting the kiln, l arrange a track 43 adapted to receive the wheels blot the kiln trucks, and of such length that a large number of kiln trucks may be supported thereon in a. series. 1While the kilns are traveling along this track and forming a part of the sei-les, new trucks are continually being added at the receiving cud, and others are. being taken otl from the discharge. cud. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the lcfthand cud constitutes the receiving end and the right-hand and constitutes the discharge end. llxtending transversely of seda the track 43 at the receiving end, a track 4a at a slightly lower elevation, and at the discharge end is a second transverse track l5 also at a slightly lower level. rl`hese tracks are oi Wider gage and are adapted te receive Vthe transfer trucks rather than the kiln trucks. Terminating adjacent the tracks 44 may be any suitable number of tracksvfl, along which the freshly-loaded kiln trucks may be brought to the transfer track 44, and beginning adjacent the tracks 45 .may bei-any suitable number, of tracks Il?, along which the kiln trucks bearing the burned and cooled bricks may be conducted. to storage. Connecting the track landlhe track 45, is transfer track 48, adapted to receive the transfer truck and having turntables 49 and 50 atits intersection with said tracks le and 45s Adjacent the receiving lend. of the track 43, l preferablyprovide a housing-51, adapted to receive a Vcomplete kiln truck and hood, and having transverse sliding doors 52 and 53 for closing the end of the series of trucks. Connected to the housing 51 is any suit-able suction fan 54.

In the operation of my improved system, the kilntrucks are loaded with green brick and moved along the; track 46. transfer truck supporting a hood is moved along` the track 44 into direct alinement with the track 46 and the kiln truck with its' load of green brick is moved onto the transfer truck and beneath the hood. The hood is then lowered onto the kiln truck and the latter with the hood is moved off the transfer truck to the portionot the track 43 adjacent the receiving housing 51. The transfer truck may then be moved along the track le tothe ,turn-table 49, and thence along the track i8 and past the turn-table to the opposite end of the track 43. Upon opening' the sliding door 52, the kiln truck'and hood with their load ot green brick, may be moved into the housing, the door 52 may then be closed, the door 53 opened, the kiln truck and hood connected to the adjacent one of the series, and the entire se moved along' the track a short distance. ln the first portion ot' the series of kilns extending along the track 43 at the receiving end, a drying or smoking process being carried on. ln the center kilns of the series, fires are huilt in the furnaces and the brick are burned in theusual manner. By the time the kilns have traversed approximately two-thirds of the distance along the track 43, the fires are permitted to go out and fresh air entering through the end of the terminal kiln and through the air passages 19, serves to slowly cool the brick. so that. by thc time the kilns reach the end of the series, the brick are su'licicntly cooled to permit ol: their being' handled.v The suction 'fan creates a iorced draft for the furnaces and the `gases from said furnaces pass upwardly into the spaces 17 and 'are uniformly distributed among',` the brick. Most of the heat from the furnace of one kiln will be applied directly brick ot theneat kiln of the series. The housing 5l serves to prevent the admission ot' air to the kilns at the receiving end and causes it to tlow lengthwise through the ries from the opposite end. is each kiln reaches the discharge end of the track Ll-B, a transfer truck is brought along the 'track l5 into alinexnen With the track 43, and the loaded kiln With its hood is moved onto said transfer trucln The hood is raised ont in gagement with the kiln by means of the jack, and the transfer truck may be moved alena its track l5 into alinement -with anyone ot the serieso storage tracks si?. The kiln truck with its hood is then moved ott onto the storage track, and the transfer truck and 'the hood are moved back along the track 4S to the receiving end. lt is thus only neces sary to provide one transfer truck and only one hocd more than is sulcient to make up the series ,need be provided, although a large number of extra kiln trucks may he provided to give sutlicient time for them to be loaded and unloaded at leisure.

Having thus described my invention, l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent: v e

l.v A kiln, including a supporting truck, a furnace carried therebyA adjacent one end ther-cot, passages for delivering the et combustion through said supportingv surface adjacent the opposite end of the truck-trom `said furnace, and means tor admitting outside air adjacent. the lasbinentioncd end said truck.

2. ik kiln, including a truck having a sn* porting surface, a plurality of pass extending longitudinally of the 'truck beneath said surface and opening thro rh said rface aty one end thereof, a, trans l passagecommunica ing with all of Trid pas sages adjacent their opposite ends, arf'v adjacenteach end; oli said transverse passage.

tiln, 'including a truck having a supporting?,- surface, a plurality of' passages extending longitudinally of the truck and beneath said surface and opening through said surface at one end thereof, a transverse passage communicating with all of said passages adjacent their opposite ends, a furnace adjacent each end of said transverse passage, and air passages beneath said lirstmentioned passages and each having one end thereoC communicating with the outside mosphere, and the opposite end thereof communicating with the interior et 4. A kiln, including a snpporting surface having an opening therethr ugh adjatt ff one end thereof, a plurality et passages tending beneath 'said 'snrtnace from the opi site end olf the kiln, a transverse ecosse communicating with all of said first-mentioned passages adjacent the opposite end of the kiln, a furnace adjacent each end of said transverse passage, and a detachable dome or hood for inclosing the material upon said supporting surface.

5. A kiln, including va truck havin a frame formed of longitudinally-exten ing beams and transversely-extending bea-ms, Wheels journaled Within said frame, a lurality of inverted'channel-shaped mem ers supported upon said frame and extending longitudinally thereof and forming a supportin surface for the material to be burne a transverse passage beneath said supporting surface and communicatin with the interior of each of said channel-s aped members, and a furnace adjacent each end of said transverse passage.

6. In combination, a kiln truck, a removable hood or dome supported thereon, a transfer truck for bodil transporting said kiln truck, and means or supporting said hood or dome upon said transfer truck independently of said kiln truck.

7. In combination, a kiln truck, a dome or vhood supported thereon, a transfer truck adapted to support said kiln truck, and means carried by said transfer truck for hoisting said hood or dome out of engagement with said kiln truck.

8. In combination, a transfer' truck having car rails extending transversely thereof, a kiln truck adapted to be supported upon said rails, a removable hood or dome carried by said kiln trick, and jacks carried by said transfer truck for hoisting said hood or dome and supporting the latter and permitting the removal of the kiln truck independently of the hood or dome.

9. In combination, a track, a plurality of separable portable kiln sections movable lonn gitudinally 'of said track, each of said sections including a kiln truck and a separable hood or dome, and means for hoisting said hoods `or domes out of engagement with their respective kiln trucks at one end of the track, and returning them to the opposite end of the track, independently of the kiln trucks.

10. In combination, a track, a plurality of separable portable kiln sections movable longitudinally of said track, each of said sections including a kiln truck and a separable hood or dome, and a transfer truck for hoistz ing said hoods or domes out of engagement with their respective kiln trucks at one end of the track, and returnin them to the opposite end of the track, independently of the iln trucks.

' 11. In combination, a track, a plurality of separable portable kiln sections movable longitudinally of. said track, each of said sections including a kiln truck and a separable hood or dome, and a transfer truck for hoistu ing said hoods or domes out of engagement with their respective kiln trucks at one end of the track, and returninof them to the opposite end of the track, indlependently of the kiln trucks, said transfer truck being' also adapted `to return said kiln trucks independently of said track.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence ot two subscribing Witnesses.` I

Winnaar naavfron,

Witnesses i RAULEY KELLY, ALFERD Daisne, 

